


Celebration

by miss_aligned



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Post-Mass Effect 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 13:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6756262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_aligned/pseuds/miss_aligned
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaidan and Shepard prepare for a party to celebrate everything happening after the war is over, and some unexpected information comes to light.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Celebration

“You look stunning.” Kaidan said with no small amount of certainty.

“Is that the good kind or the bad kind?” Shepard stood with her back to the mirror, critically gazing over her shoulder at how many of her scars were showing in the reflection. The dress she’d chosen for the evening fit her flawlessly and he honestly wished she could see herself through his eyes. Perfection.

“The best kind,” he answered as he placed himself between her and the mirror, planting a kiss on one the scars at her shoulder. She’d come a long way in accepting them and how her appearance had changed, but he could see that she wasn’t exactly comfortable with highlighting her marks of battle with a strapless gown. “Where did you find this dress?”

“Miranda, actually,” she said as she took a seat in front of the mirror and began sorting through her makeup. “I’m pretty sure she has my measurements memorized.”

Kaidan shook his head and stepped out of the room to get dressed. The statement was probably true, though he couldn’t see the harm in it. As he pulled his suit out of the closet, she called after him. “I went to see Dr. Chakwas today.”

“Oh yeah? How’d it go?”

There was a pause that almost worried him. He always had anxiety when the conversation drifted to medical matters. Whether it was him or her, it never seemed to be good. Eventually Shepard responded with an unexpectedly lighthearted tone. “All’s well. She had that look in her eye, though. I think she’s going to want to talk to you at the party tonight.”

He chuckled lightly as he pulled his shirt on and began buttoning it. “I’m sure she will. She’s probably going to chastise me for doing this so late.” The evening was for celebration of their marriage. Finally. He and Shepard had gotten married as soon as was physically possible after the end of the war with the Reapers. She’d still been in a hospital bed, but when she had the strength and lucidity to make it happen, they’d wed. They had intended to celebrate properly with everyone they held dear, of course, but her recovery and the rebuilding of the galaxy had taken precedence over parties.

“Among other things, I’m sure,” Shepard answered. Her voice shifted in tone and delivery, mimicking that of the good doctor. “I do hope you managed to find my favorite brandy. It’s simply not a proper celebration without it! Kaidan, darling, I told you to marry her just after you became a Spectre. Now your wedding photos are simply pitiful! When are you going to settle down and have some kids?”

A grin swept across his face as he listened to the love of his life laugh at her own impression. While the accent could use a little work, she was not too far off on the content. He loved Chakwas dearly, but she did act like a mother to everyone. Sometimes that was a good thing, other times it got old. “I’d better brace myself for the family questions, I suppose. I’m sure they’re coming.”

“It’s like they expect us to walk in any minute with some curly-haired little biotic infant,” she mused, sounding almost giddy at the suggestion.

Something gripped at his heart when the image came to mind. He did want that, but the timing had always been wrong. More than that, no one seemed to know whether his wife could bear children. Someday, maybe, but it was too early to say for sure. They had discussed adopting, however. There were plenty of little ones in need of a safe and loving home, and they could provide it. Eventually, anyway.

Kaidan hadn’t realized he’d been lost in his own thoughts until Shepard called out to him again. “You’re awfully quiet out there. Are you thinking of how to deal with biotic babies?”

He buttoned his pants, then laid his jacket on the bed. He reached out for his tie as he headed into the bathroom where she was carefully applying her lipstick. “You don’t think I’ll have to worry about running into any biotic babies tonight, do you?”

Shepard set aside her makeup and watched him for a moment as he flipped his tie around with practiced grace. “No,” she quietly said. “Not tonight. You’ve still got a few more months to think about it.”

Tucking the end of the tie down and adjusting the knot, Kaidan snickered at her words. His gaze drifted to her eyes in the reflection of the mirror and he froze. She was watching him so intensely that he was forced to mentally rewind and think about what she’d just said. “Wait… what?”

“Well, you’ll have seven and a half months, technically.”

A thousand thoughts hit Kaidan all in an instant, and he wasn’t sure where to begin in processing what Shepard was trying to tell him. This talk of biotic babies was purposeful, as was the study of his reaction. She was pregnant. She was pregnant.

A wave of terror washed over him first. Not fear for the thought of being a parent, but fear for her and what her body could handle. The seasoned soldier in him searched for the worst case scenario first, in order to find ways to circumvent the problem. He was not losing Shepard due to pregnancy complications. He refused. “Is it safe for you…?” He wasn’t even certain how to word his question.

“Do you think Dr. Chakwas is going to let me die now? I’ll have the best health care in the galaxy. She’s going to see to it personally, I’m sure. She said I’m strong enough now to handle this. With proper supervision, of course.”

Kaidan hadn’t felt his expression slip into a frown. He silently mulled over the difficulties that she’d face, the toll it would take upon her already weakened body. She’d been through so much already, could producing another human push her just one step too far?

When he came to his senses again, the look on her face threatened to break his heart. Her gaze dropped down and away from his reflection in the mirror. She stood, fully made up and gorgeous, and came to a stop in front of him. He realized when she stared into his eyes with crushing disappointment written all over her features that she thought he was upset that she was pregnant with his child. It couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Shepard was carrying his baby.

“Kaidan, I—“ her shaky voice was abruptly silenced when he reached up and placed his hands along either side of her jaw and fiercely kissed her. She’d been so surprised by the gesture that she stiffened, but didn’t pull away. Overwhelming excitement and happiness washed over him as he allowed himself to consider the possibility he’d denied for entirely too long. Kiss after kiss peppered almost every square inch of her face as he realized that his wife, the love of his life, was going to bless him with a child. He knew, too, that he’d scared her initially, and he layered on the enthusiasm with each peck to show how thrilled he truly was.

Her jaw hung slack as he pulled away. She seemed both shocked and relieved, but she said nothing until she reached back and retrieved a tube from the counter. “Oh no you don’t,” she hissed as, with one quick motion, she swiped crimson across her lips again and pulled him closer by his tie. She assaulted him in similar fashion, curling her fingers all through his carefully tamed hair as she kissed all over his exposed skin. They both laughed until their sides hurt, then stared at one another in their absurd state for what seemed like an eternity.

She turned to look at herself in the mirror and laughed again, noting the lip prints all over her face. Shepard shook her head and framed the two of them in a gesture with her hands. “Here we are, two upstanding adults, totally ready to bring another human into the world.”

They looked absolutely ridiculous.

There was no stopping the joy coursing through him, nor the broad, goofy smile plastered across his face. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, hip to hip. “I can’t wait.”


End file.
